3

A Tour of vBulletin

In the previous chapter we looked at the vBulletin installation process. This process involved downloading the installation files, making edits to the configuration files, creating or preparing a database for vBulletin, uploading the installation files, and finally going through the vBulletin installation wizard. We also looked at how to import posts and settings from another discussion board into vBulletin.

Now that you have a working vBulletin board, the next thing that you need to do is familiarize yourself with it. That's what we are going to be doing in this chapter.

We will look at:

•How a vBulletin discussion board is experienced by both unregistered users and members

•How a user can become a member by registering

•The administrator's experience of a vBulletin discussion board

•The Administrator Control Panel

•Forum management

•Branding and changing the logo for a discussion board

The vBulletin User Experience

Before we look at vBulletin in detail from the perspective of the administrator, let's take a look at it from the user perspective.

In the last chapter we got vBulletin working, and the discussion board that we set up is open and ready for visitors.